FY25 ABP Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

CAH utilizes an online grant portal to receive grant applications. The ABP application may be found online in the CAH Grant Application Portal, available at https://jlweb.co/prod1/portal/portal.jsp?c=4193775&p=6947885&g=6947905 . Incomplete, incorrect, or late applications may be deemed ineligible for review and funding.

B. Technical Assistance

CAH staff is available to assist grant applicants during group or individual technical assistance sessions. Applicants may also request review of draft applications during a thirty (30) minute appointment during business hours scheduled no later than seven calendar days in advance of the grant application deadline. CAH staff will not write applications for applicants. To schedule a meeting, applicants may contact the CAH staff listed in Section VII below. Applicants must prepare their full draft application in the CAH Grants Application Portal along with any questions in advance of scheduling a meeting for technical assistance.

To schedule an individual technical assistance meeting, please contact Michelle May-Curry, Curator, at 202-215-9486 or [email protected]; or Ron Humbertson, Art Collections Registrar, via email at [email protected]. Please note that CAH requests that applicants prepare and deliver (by e-mail) a draft of their full application along with any questions in advance of scheduling a meeting for agency staff assistance.

C. Workshops

To improve the strength of applications, CAH strongly recommends participating in one of the following virtual workshops listed below. All workshops are virtual, free, and open to the public. More information about workshops may be found at dcarts.dc.gov under Grant Writing Assistance, or by calling the CAH Point of Contact listed in Section VII. Workshops and Live Chats may be accessed by visiting https://dcarts.dc.gov/page/live-chat-dccah-grants-specialist. Interested artists and humanities practitioners may register for workshops via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/art-bank-program-workshops-2154729

 

D. Application Forms and Content

CAH utilizes an online portal to receive grant applications. Each application shall:

1. Answer narrative questions in the application portal.
2. Include an Artist Statement: 
   • Please briefly describe (250 words or less) the art-making process and how it relates to the artwork(s) presented in the application.
   • District nonprofit art galleries and arts organizations that are submitting more than one artist must include a statement for each artist with all the statements in one document.
3. Include an Impact Statement:
   • Please briefly describe (250 words or less) how the artist represents and commits to the growth of the arts in Washington, DC, and how the artwork will support the artist’s  practice and the DC arts community if included in the Art Bank Collection.
   • District nonprofit art galleries and arts organizations that are submitting more than one impact statement must include the statements in one document.
4. Submit Images of artwork for consideration:
   • Individual applicants (metropolitan area artists) include up to five (5) artworks.
   • District nonprofit art galleries or arts organizations include up to ten (10) artworks from any combination of two (2) or more metropolitan area artists.
   • Please submit one image per artwork showing the full artwork. No details shots will be accepted.
   • All applicants are allowed to submit multi-part artwork(s), including diptychs or triptychs, and artworks that are a part of a series. A series is a collection of artworks that are meant to be acquired together and not sold separately. These artworks will count as one artwork within the allowable maximum for portfolio submission from individual artists (five) and nonprofit organizations (ten).
5. Submitted artworks must follow the below eligibility requirements for acquisition:
   • Artwork must be a recent body of artwork within 10 years of submission and/or significant to the history of visual art in the District;
   • Artwork must be in excellent condition, with no damage or conservation requirements;
   • Artwork must be composed of archival materials and considered sustainable for a permanent collection (Archival means any material that falls into the industry standard and production of art materials for the creation of a long-term and durable permanent work of art);
   • Artworks must not be part of a site-specific installation or require ceiling hanging for display; 
   • Artwork must not exceed seventy-two (72) inches in any direction with sculptures not to exceed 36” in height or 24” in width or depth;
   • The overall weight of any single wall-mounted artwork must not exceed 60 lbs.; the overall weight of any sculpture that stands on a pedestal must not exceed 100 lbs. Any sculpture must be displayable on the wall or a pedestal, covered with plexiglass. Wall sculpture may only extend six inches from the wall;
   • All artwork submitted must be available for acquisition at the time of submission; applicants may not substitute works not included in the original application;
   • Artwork submitted for consideration by nonprofit District art galleries or art organizations must be from artists who meet all individual eligibility requirements below; and,
   • Each artwork must be priced at $10,000 or lower. Pricing for this grant must match market pricing (i.e., prices offered at galleries, in studios and/or on websites). The total grant awarded to a single applicant will not exceed $15,000 (individuals) or $20,000 (nonprofit art galleries or organizations).

E. Selected List of Prohibited Materials:

1. Bound books;
2. Living plant materials, including soil;
3. Preserved or live insects and animals,
4. Raw food items, including but not limited to fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried beans, herbs, spices, and grains;
5. Liquids, including but not limited to water, in unsealed or sealed containers;
6. Requires electricity, batteries, or has lighting components;
7. Materials that produce vapor, smoke, mists, and/or odors;
8. Flammable, toxic, volatile, and/or explosive materials;
9. Weapons or firearms.
10. For consultation on whether materials used in your artwork fall under these categories please contact the grant manager for clarification.

F. Mandatory Documents

In addition to the required narrative questions within the online application, applicants must submit additional documents with the ABP application. Documents must be uploaded in PDF form through the CAH Grants Application Portal prior to the application deadline. Templates and instructions for compliance documents are available in Resources for Grant Applicants.

Mandatory Documents For All Individuals and Organizations
1	Artist Resume(s)		Provide a current list of exhibitions; publications; commissions; collections; and education. For organizations, a permanent address must be on each resume identifying the legal residence of each artist. District nonprofit art galleries and arts organizations that are submitting more than one artist resume must include the resumes in one document.
2	Image Identification List:		Submit a document listing the details of each uploaded artwork. The list should include the Artist Name, Title, Year, Medium, Dimensions, and Retail Price. Please indicate whether the cost for each artwork is for a single artwork or part of a series total cost submitted within your application. Example Identification Image List: Artist Name Title, Year Medium Dimensions Single Artwork total cost: Artwork series total cost: (If applicable) If a series, indicate how many pieces: (If applicable) Artist Name Title, Year Medium Dimensions Single Artwork total cost: Artwork series total cost: (If applicable) If a series, indicate how many pieces: (If applicable)
3	Artwork Files		High-quality JPEG files. Files should not exceed 5MB each. Uploading – Applicants must use the Media Viewer to upload each image file of prospective artwork for consideration. For each image uploaded, please complete all required media file fields: Title, Media Type, Media Sub-type, Date, Edition number (optional), Retail price, Dimensions and Description (up to 200 words). The Description will be reviewed by the panel and, if the artwork is acquired, may be used for wall text and/or the eMuseum. After uploading images to the media viewer, the applicant must individually attach the file to their Art Bank application. Individual artists are allowed to submit up to five artworks. *new* only one image may be submitted of each artwork. District nonprofit galleries or arts organizations are allowed to submit up to ten artworks. Artwork File Labeling – Identify image files by the Identification Image List number, artist’s last name followed by the artwork title. Example of File Labeling: 1_ Artwork Title; 2_ Artwork Title; 3_ Artwork Title; and so on.
4	Certificate of Clean Hands		Issued within 30 days of the application deadline. Applicants may visit the following site to obtain more information: https://mytax.dc.gov
5	Statement of Certification		Date must match that of the ABP application submission
6	Signed IRS Form W-9		Post office boxes are prohibited. The applicant’s address must match the address in the grants portal, the address on file in the DC Government’s vendor registration system (PASS), and in the DC Vendor Portal. The October 2018 version of the form must be used and have the same date as the ABP application submission.
7	Artwork Relationship and Copyright Warranty Form		Indicates applicant’s right to submit the artwork for consideration for acquisition into the Art Bank Collection.
8	Proof of Residency		The applicant must submit a copy of a government issued identification or tax return address page as proof of residence within a 50-mile radius of the District of Columbia.
Additional Mandatory Documents For Organizations
1		Written letter of consent		A signed letter from each artist included in the application, indicating agreement for their work to be offered to the Art Bank Collection
2		IRS Letter of Determination
3		DC Tax Certificate of Incorporation
4		IRS Form 990		Fiscal Year 2023 or most recently completed fiscal year

 Applicants are fully responsible for the content of their application materials. An automated confirmation of an applicant’s submission does not guarantee an applicant’s eligibility, and therefore review by the advisory review panel (see below, “Review Process”). CAH staff is not permitted to make corrections to applications on behalf of applicants. CAH staff reviews applications for completeness and contacts applicants for any incomplete documents within five (5) business days of the deadline. Applicants are then responsible for updating their application within five (5) business days of CAH’s notification. Failure to do so will disqualify the application.

F. Grant Application Process

1. Read the Guide to Grants. 
2. Read the RFA guidelines and determine eligibility.
3. Visit dcarts.dc.gov and navigate to the “Grants” menu and select the “Grant Application Portal” to register using the “Sign Up today” link.
4. 4. Once registered, select “My Open Applications” and click on “New Application” on the right side of the screen then select “Art Bank Program” from the program list.
5. 5. Complete the application questions.
6. 6. Upload all required documents, supplementary material, and artwork.

G. Submission Dates and Times

All applications must be submitted online by 9:00 PM ET on Friday, May 28, 2024. A confirmation email generates automatically upon submission of the applications. Technical issues or failure to receive a confirmation e-mail should be brought to the immediate attention of CAH staff. Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines are deemed ineligible for review and funding. CAH does not accept mailed, emailed or hand-delivered copies of grant applications and/or the required attachments. CAH will accept reasonable accommodation requests from applicants with disabilities in advance of the application due date to assist them in submitting grant applications via mail, email, or hand-delivery. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Travis Marcus at [email protected] and await request approval.

CAH’s grant application process is competitive and subject to the availability of funds. Applicants may not request or receive funding for the same activities through more than one CAH program or grant category. Multiple applicants may not apply for funding for the same project, whether through the same or different grant programs. Applicants can participate in only one application per year for this grant program.

H. Funding Restrictions

As a District of Columbia agency, CAH must ensure that all award funds are expended in a fiscally responsible manner; all awarded funds are subject to audit and Performance Monitoring. Allowable costs are those that the District government and CAH have determined as valid expenditures.

I. Other Submission Requirements

The Agency shall not be liable for any costs incurred in the preparation of applications in response to the RFA.  Applicant agrees that all costs incurred in developing the application are the applicant’s sole responsibility.

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